-----
"Are you sure you can manage all three of them, Jack?" Michael's mother looks doubtful as her son and his best friend wait impatiently by her side, eager to get into the house.
"They're nothing I can't handle," Jack Bristow replied, attempting to smile reassuringly.
"And it won't be a problem for you, having them over?"
"No, no problem. I mean, it's only for two hours, right?"
She sighed and looked down at the two eager youngsters fidgeting. "Right. Well, I'll be back at half past three to pick them up, okay?" Smiling at the two boys, she added, "You two be good for Mr Bristow, okay? I want you two to be on your best behaviour."
"Yes, mom."
"Yes, Mrs Vaughn."
"Alright then, I'll see you two in a while." She smiled warmly. "Once again, thank you Jack for looking after them on such short notice."
"You're welcome." He watched as Michael's mother walked towards her car, and ushered the two kids inside. "So... How about you kids go play outside with Sydney? She's in the back." He pointed down the hallway to a large sliding door that led to the backyard.
"Yes, sir." They both replied politely, and quickly made their way outside.
Outside, Sydney sat at a table on the patio, humming quietly to herself while drawing. She looked up at hearing their approaching footsteps. "Michael! Ewic!" she squealed, leaping up to race towards them. "Watcha doing here?"
"Mom had to go somewhere... So she dropped me 'n' Eric off to play with you, Sydney." Michael replied shyly, kicking at a spot on the ground.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Eric spoke up. "Can we play a game?"
"Um, sure. We can play hopscotch... Ooh! Or Michael, you can be the princess again! And—" Sydney talked excitedly.
"Can we play something different?" Michael protested. "Something were I can be a boy? I don't wanna be a princess."
Sydney paused. "Well... We can have a pwetend marrying ceremony! And I can be the priest, and you and Ewic can get married and—"
"Awww... But can't I be the priest?" Spoke Eric. "I don't really wanna marry Mikey."
"Michael, uh... What's your last name again?"
"Vaughn."
"Oh, yeah. Michael Vaughn, do you take Sydney... Wait a minute. What's your last name, Syd?"
"Bwistow. I fink."
"'Kay, 'kay. Lemme start this 'gain. Michael Vaughn, do you take Sydney Bristow to be your law... Law... What's that word 'gains? Law-thingie? Law-thingie wifey? Yeah. That one."
"Um... Yeah, okay."
"You gotta say 'I do!'" Eric whispered loudly to him.
"Really? I do, then."
"Okie dokie, how 'bout you Syd? You wanna too?"
"Ewic! You gotta say 'law-thingie wedded wife!"
"I do? Okay, I do. I mean, do you, Sydney Bristow, take Michael Vaughn to be your law-thingie wifey?"
"I do."
"Haha, COOL!" Eric exclaimed, wide grin plastered across his face. "But wait. We need rings! My mommy and daddy wear rings, I think. They gotta be all shiny with sparkles..."
"But I don't got nothing shiny and sparkly for Sydney..."
"And I don't got nothing shiny and sparkly for Mikey..."
"Well..." Eric thought, pudgy forehead furrowed in thought. "I guess we can draw them. Got any orange textas, Syd?"
"Uh-huh!" She scrambled into the house in search of her orange texta, and a few moments later, emerged with a thick marker in her hand. Handing the texta to her husband Michael, he pulled the lid off and proceeded to draw a ring around her finger, and once he was done, handed the texta to Sydney, and she did the same to his finger.
"You want one too, Eric?" Sydney turned to ask Eric, their priest.
"Yeah, sure. Why not?" And she drew one on Eric's finger too.
"So uh... Is that all in weddings?" Michael asked slowly, fearing for the worst.
"You still gotta kiss your wifey and tell her you love her."
"But—" He started, but Eric shot him the most fierce look a pudgy little boy could, and held the texta out, trying to threaten him.
Michael turned to Sydney, who stared awkwardly at the grass. "I uh..." He mumbled embarrased, and finally muttered quickly, "IloveyouSydney."
And he leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek.